Seed-separating apparatus.



PATENTBD JULY 9, 1907.

G. BLASGO. SEED SEPARATING APPARATUS,

-' APPLIDATION FILED D30. 17, 1906.

ms NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINDTON v. c.

CHARLES BLASOO, OF-HABANA, CUBA.

SEED-SEPARATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 19Q'7.

Application filed December 17,1906. Se a N 34 .09

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES linasco, a citizen of the United States,residing at Habana, Cuba, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Seed- Separating Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in seed separating apparatus havingparticular reference to tobacco seed separating and has as its objectthe providing of means whereby the heavier seeds may be readilyseparated from the lighter ones without the disassembling of theapparatus.

In the following is described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings one embodiment of the apparatus the features thereof being moreparticularly pointed out hereinafter in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus showing theseed separating member and parts adjacent thereto in vertical section;Fig. 2 is a modificd form of the air blast controlling valve and a meansfor extracting the seeds from the seed containing chamber; and Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view of the seed receptacle and draw offcontrolling means.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates a bellows provided with a footpedal 2 mounted on base 3 supported by means of standards 4.

5 is a hood of fine wire or cord mesh mounted on the under side of saidbase 3 and is adapted to act as a dust preventive, also means ofpermitting air to enter into said bellows.

6 is a flexible hose connecting the bellows 1 as at 7 with the lower endof the air tube 8. Said tube 8 is enlarged as at 9, the enlarged portionthereof forming a seat 10 for the air passage controlling valve 11. Saidpassage controlling valve 11 comprises a shank 12, a core 13 havingsuitably cut therein a by-pass 14 and a hand-controlling wheel 15.

16 is an air passage or pipe connection between said enlarged portion 9in the enlarged seat 17 of the seed container which has in turn mountedtherein at the bottom thereof a fine screen mesh 18, the object of thesame being to provide means whereby the seeds contained therein areprevented from falling into or entering the air passage 16.

19 is a glass tube forming a connection between the enlarged seat 17 andthe re-inforced portion 20 of the charging device 21 which comprises afunnel receptacle 22, a by-pass 23, and a controlling valve 24. Theobject of said glass tube 19 is to provide means whereby the operator ofthe apparatus is enabled to observe the -contents thereof, the amount ofseeds being operated upon, and the time when the container is to bereplenished. 25 is a pipe connecting the re-inforced portion 20 with acollector and retainer (not shown) mounted exhaust tube.

at the extreme upper end of said pipe 24, the object of said collectorbeing to provide means whereby the seeds discharged therefrom may becollected and retained.

Referring to Fig. 3- 26 is a controlling valve rigidly mounted in thecasing of enlarged member 17 and forms at that point part of the bottom18 and has suitably fastened therein as at 27 a draw off pipe 28. Saiddraw off pipe 28 has formed at its extreme lower end a discharge nozzle29, the object of the above described parts being to provide meanswhereby the heavier or healthy seeds may be drawn off into a suitablecontainer (not shown) without the discontinuance of the. air blast orthe disassembling of the respective parts of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 of the drawings illustrates a modified form of the air blastcontrolling valve and means for drawing off the seeds in which 30 is thetube connection between the fiexible hose or lead from the bellows andan enlarged portion of the seed reception chamber 31 having suitablymounted therein a screen mesh or bottom 32 adapted to act as a means ofpreventing the seeds from entering the air ,blast controlling valve 33.341s a passage controlling valve suitably fastened into the casting ofthe enlarged portion or reception chamber 31, and has fastened thereinat its lower portion there of a draw off connection 35 having formed atits extreme lower end a discharge nozzle 36 adapted to discharge theseeds passing therethrough into a suitable container (not shown). sameacting as a means whereby one may observe the contents of the seedcontainer. The seed separating device and parts adjacent thereto aremounted in and supported by standard 38.

The'operation of the apparatus is as follows. Seed '85 37 is a glasstube or gage the is poured into the funnel 22, then passage controllingvalve 24 is opened permitting the seed to pass downwardly throughpassage 23 into receiving or observing chamber 19; after said seedreceiving chamber is filled solid with seeds valve 24 is closedpreventing the lighter seeds from being blown out through the chargingmeans. Valve 11 is then opened by turning handwheel 15 sufficiently topermit of a certain pressure of air into connection 16. Bellows l iscompressed by foot pedal 2 causing the current of air generated thereinto pass therefrom through flexible hose 6 into passageway 8 through saidvalve 11, thence on into and through the seeds in the seed receptaclewhich causes the lighter seeds to be blown through the exhaust tube 25into said aforesaid collector and retainer (not shown) mounted at theupper end of said Upon completion of the above described operation valve26 is opened permitting all of the large seeds retained in said seedcontainer to pass downwardly through the draw off passage 28 into asuitable collector (not shown).

The result of utilizing the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings is the same as above described excepting that the partscomprising the same are much simpler in their general form ofconstruction.

It is obvious that the apparatus as above described may be adapted foruse in connection with all seed separating and the same used to a greatadvantage.

It is further obvious that the means for accomplishing the above andparts comprising the same maybe widely varied without departing from thespirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United Statesis 1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a transparentseed receptacle, a perforated bottom therefor, a pipe connection incommunication therewith, a controlling valve interposed in said pipeconnection, an air blast supply, connections between said air blastsupply and said pipe connection, and means mounted in said transparentseed receptacle bottom for drawing off the heavier seeds after thelighter ones have been separated therefrom.

2. An apparatus of the character described including a transparent seedreceptacle, a feed therefor, an auxiliary discharge pipe connected tosaid seed receptacle, a perforated bottom in said transparent seedreceptacle, an air blast lead connected thereto, an air blast supplyconnected to said air blast lead, and a draw-off passage connected withsaid transparent seed receptacle adapted to draw off the heavier seedscontained therein after the lighter ones have been separated therefrom.

3. An apparatus of the character described including a transparent seedreceptacle, means for charging said seed receptacle, an auxiliarydischarge pipe connected therewith at the upper end of said transparentseed receptacle, an air blast lead connected thereto at the lower end ofsaid seed receptacle and an air blast supply having a passagecontrolling valve mounted thereon.

+2. An apparatus of the character described including a transparent seedreceptacle, a perforated bottom formed in said seed receptacle, an airblast supply connected with said seed receptacle, an auxiliary dischargepipe connected therewith and a draw off passage having mounted therein acontrolling valve adapted to permit the pasage of the heavier seedstherethrough after the lighter ones have been separated therefrom.

5. An apparatus of the character described including a transparent seedreceptacle, means for charging said receptacle, an auxiliary dischargepipe connected therewith, an air blast supply connected therewith, meansfor controlling said air blast supply and means for drawing oil theheavier seeds contained therein after the lighter ones have beenseparated therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES BLASCO.

Witnesses EDO Rlmnno'r, ADRIANO T. L. Nessa.

